Hiring the best pool builders and constructing the best pool isn’t enough. You have to take good care of the pool to keep it refreshing, inviting, and sparkling. Wondering how to go about it? Here are tips on how to maintain a pool:
Get rid of debris
At least two or three times a week, skim the surface of your pool for floating debris and dispose of the collected debris.
Most modern pools have a skimmer basket at the end of the pool whose primary job is to skim the pool surface before debris and contaminants get heavy, saturated, and float to the bottom of the water.
To keep the skimmer working in top condition all the time, empty it regularly. To do it you need to open the skimmer panel, remove the skimmer basket and dump out its contents. For effective working, ensure the basket is near clear of debris at all times.
Vacuum the pool
Why do you vacuum your house? To clean it, right? You also should vacuum your pool to keep it clean and in top condition all the time. Begin with preparing the pool wall and water surface for vacuuming.
Begin with skimming the water with a pool skimmer then use a pool brush to brush the walls.
You should then set up the vacuum cleaner for cleaning. To do this, place the vacuum head and pole in the pool to fill with water. Hold the open end of the hose over one of the return jets to blow out all of the air in the hose.
When bubbles stop, turn off the filter, keeping the end of the hose underwater.
For proper cleaning, an average pool requires 30 minutes of vacuuming. When vacuuming the pool, move slowly across the water in overlapping parallel lines like you are mowing the lawn.
If your pool is too wide for one pass, vacuum half of it at a time. Once you are done, turn off the filter, disconnect the hose and turn the system back to filter.
Backwash your pool filter
Backwashing keeps the pool filter clean by flushing out built-up debris. When you are backwashing, the water is reversed through the filter out of the waste line and drain.
To backwash your filters, begin with preparing the hose and filter. Turn off the filter and set the multiport valve. You should then connect the backwash hose to the waste port then run the hose to a safe waste site.
Turn the filter on and let it run for three to five minutes or until the water is clear and in the glass sight. You should then shut off the system and turn the valve to rinse. Run the system for 30 seconds to allow water to run through the filter and reset the filter element.
After 30 seconds, turn off the system.
Once you are done, turn the system to FILTER and turn it on. When water comes out of the valve, close it and by doing this, the filter cycle will have started. You should keep a close eye of the PSI pressure reading to tell the next time you need to backwash again.
Limit pool shocking
Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need to shock your pool regularly to keep the water clear and clean, especially if you have an ozone system.
If you don’t have the ozone system, use chlorine-based shock to eliminate animal, bird, and human defecation that can turn into algae food.
When shocking your pool, do it at night when there is no one in the pool and there is no sun to degrade the effectiveness of the chlorine-based shock.
Maintain optimal pH levels
You should keep your pool pH between 7.2 and 7.8 with 7.4 being the optimal level. To ensure your pool is at the right pH levels, make a habit of regularly testing it. Unlike years ago when you had to hire professionals to do the testing, now you simply need to buy test strips and kits and you will easily tell whether your pool is at the right pH.
Many people rush to add chlorine when their pH is not optimal but don’t do this. There are plenty of ways to control the pH without using a lot of chlorine. Consult pool contractors Long Island or pool maintenance experts if you don’t know how to go about it.
